1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a process for extracting thorium from titanium chlorinator waste. More particularly, the invention pertains to a process for removing thorium from titanium chlorinator waste by leaching the anhydrous waste in water or dilute hydrochloric acid solution and filtering to separate insoluble minerals and coke from soluble metal chlorides. Thereafter, the insoluble minerals are beneficiated on shaking tables to recover recyclable or otherwise useful TiO.sub.2 mineral concentrate and coke tailings, and the filtrate of soluble metal chlorides is treated with reagents to precipitate and remove thorium by filtration along with acid metals of Ti, Zr, Nb, and Ta by the addition of the filtrate, a base such as NaOH, NH.sub.4 OH and Na.sub.2 CO.sub.3 and a precipitant such as Na.sub.4 P.sub.2 O.sub.7 to a boiling slurry of the reaction products.